‘Slouched-Sitting’ exposes you to constant & accelerated ‘STRESS’

The aforementioned statement is one of the main causes of ‘Stress’ in your life. A few simple breathing techniques can give you the ability to conquer and vanquish breath related stress disorders.

A small test to check this concept

Assume your usual slouched position and try to breath deep and slow with awareness. You will notice that your inhalation is strained or laborious, needs a lot of extra effort, exhalation is abrupt, without control and unfulfilling.

Assume a neutral spine or straighten your back, try the same breathing exercise and you are bound to experience ‘the ease in respiration’ and while exhaling, ‘a release in the heaviness from your body as well as mind’.

Did you notice the marked difference? Why?

Source: Arthoinfo AAOS

The slouching position keeps the frontal part of your spine in constant compression, reducing the space in between the frontal part of your inter-vertebral disc as well as compressing your lungs, thereby, not allowing it to operate at its optimally. Result – we have sub-optimal inhalation and sub-optimal exhalation. Further, we also fail to optimize the gas exchange at the alveoli level as, we have unknowingly turned into shallow breathers and the air fails to reach maximally its final destination for the activation of the proper functioning of our respiratory organ.

Yogic breathing, which is sectional in nature, requires one to bring ‘focus and awareness’ not only in involving the three sections but also, working on a smooth ‘transition’ from one section to the other. To explain further:

It involves the respiratory muscles to their optimal levels, thereby, improving the functionality of these organs and hence we can see a drastic improvement in the problems associated, not only with respiratory organs but also with other associated organs, which aid the functioning of the respiratory organs.

Such self -involvement with breathing will automatically activate the components ‘slow’ & ‘deep’. In the process, it will divert all the attention to the process of breathing, bringing the ‘mind’ to a concentrated stage, thereby, reducing the thoughts in the mind – the main culprit for all our psycho somatic problems.

Once regulated, the accumulated stress, which is generally stored due to shallow breathing, will get a smooth passage out. This will bring calmness of mind and thereby, helping one handle a stressful situation better by ‘responding’ to that in a rational manner rather than ‘reacting’ to it (just another underlying reason for stress).

Caution

Breathing has to be enjoyable to reap the maximum benefits. When forced, it can be a source of many diseases. Hence, approach the practice ‘with love’, ‘with submission’ and remain ‘within your capacity’.

Shammi Gupta, founder of Shammi’s Yogalaya holds an MA in Yoga Shastra, is a certified Yogic Therapist and Naturopath, has completed an Advanced Yoga Course and holds a Diploma in Yoga Education from Mumbai University. She is a certified trainer from American College of Sports Medicine and holds an MBA in HR & MBA in Finance from The University of Akron, Ohio, USA. She conducts Health Awareness Workshops for Corporate, Yogasana Workshops for Athletes and Yoga Therapy Workshops on different medical issues for patients. Among the celebrities Shammi trains are eminent personalities from the film and television industry and corporate world.